[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to maghreb@jadaliyya.com by Tuesday night of every week]
Algeria
Algeria calls for direct talks between Saudi and Iran After Algeria and Iran solidify economic investment deals, the Algerian government has called on Iran and Saudi Arabia for diplomatic discussions on regional peace.
Algeria`s Next Succession Vish Sakthivel writes for Foreign Affairs on Algeria’s political and economic situation.
Nafaha Magazine covers some media highlights from Algeria in 2015 جزائر 2015...من الألف إلى الياء
Des chantiers qui n’en finissent pas El Watan discusses problems with Algerian telecommunications companies, including high subscription prices and potential corruption charges.
البشير حاج علي: هشاشة الجسد وصلابة الموقف Muhammad Bouzrouata covers the life and times of the politician and intellectual Bachir Hadj Ali.
Ces Algériens qui nous ont quittés en 2015 HuffPost Algérie reflects on the important figures that have passed away this year, including most recently Hocine Aït Ahmed.
Libya
Libya`s cultural heritage `being destroyed and plundered by Isis` “Greek and Roman antiquities and prehistoric artwork are under threat from Islamic State extremists in Libya, leading world museums and the UN have warned.”
أي فرص لنجاح "اتفاق الصخيرات" الليبي؟ Libyan analysts Mahmoud Mesrati and Hafed Al Ghwell discuss the Skhirat agreement and its shortcomings.
Libya`s rival parliaments sign unity government deal Associated Press reports on the conclusion of the latest Libya unity government deal.
#Tripoli today afternoon by @marwancov and I edited the music #Libya #طرابلس #ليبيا Short video showing the streets of Tripoli.
Mauritania
UAE solar projects boon for Mauritania Foreign investments in renewable energy in Mauritania will meet thirty percent of energy demands for certain towns.
Mauritania: 2015 Human Rights Tulip Awarded to IRA-Mauritania “The 2015 Human Rights Tulip was awarded on International Human Rights Day, Thursday 10 December, to IRA-Mauritania, an organisation from Mauritania that is working to abolish slavery.
Mauritania creates new courts to try slavery cases The creation of three special courts to try slavery practitioners is the latest development in Mauritania`s anti-slavery initiatives.
تظاهرات طلابية في موريتانيا احتجاجا على تردي الخدمات Student protesters demonstrate at the university of Nouakchott over economic pressures and poor administration.
NGOs Urge RCMP to Investigate Kinross Over Reports of Corruption in Africa The Canadian mine company Kinross is being investigated by MiningWatch Canada and Sherpa over potential corrupt practices in Mauritania.
Morocco
Toxic shadow: phosphate miners in Morocco fear they pay a high price The Guardian gathers testimonies on health concerns from phosphate miners; “State-owned mining giant producing fertilizers and phosphoric acid denies that poisonous byproducts of the phosphate industry cause illnesses and death.”
بالفيديو .. رأي الشـارع المغربي في معاشـات البرلمـانيين Lakome gets the views of Moroccans on the salary of members of parliament.
Abolishing Homophobia Would Uphold Islamic And Moroccan Values Farhat Othman analyzes the positive economic and social consequences that decriminalizing homophobia would have in Morocco.
Dry springs and dead orchards A report on the severe water depletion in Morocco and North Africa.
Des centaines de migrants prennent d`assaut l`enclave espagnole de Ceuta au Maroc A new case of large-scale illegal migration from Morocco to the Spanish territories emerges, resulting in the death of two people and a successful transit for about 185 others.
Tunisia
UGTT and the culture of dialogue in Tunisia Open Democracy covers the evolution of political dialogue since the Tunisian Revolution.
Découvrez l`histoire de la Tunisie à travers un livre sur le musée du Bardo! (PHOTOS) Publication of a new book on the history of Tunisia seen through the Bardo museum,
Missed Opportunity: The Politics of Police Reform in Egypt and Tunisia In-depth analysis of Tunisia’s security sector and reform agenda.
Actions citoyennes : quand les Tunisiens se mobilisent sur Facebook Jeune Afrique reports on a Tunisian civil society initiative for a weekly cleaning of the streets and other civic activities.
Western Sahara
Total renounces oil survey work off Western Sahara French exploration for oil off the coast of the Western Sahara has raised concerns over international recognition of Saharan right to self determination.
Morocco’s Autonomy Plan For Western Sahara Gains Strong US Support “U.S. Congress has approved 2016 Appropriations Bill allowing Morocco to use US aid everywhere in the country, including in the Western Sahara.”
Expert: Ruling on W. Sahara Undermines Legal Basis for EU’s West Bank Labeling Guidelines The Tower highlights inconsistencies with EU and Moroccan trade agreements with the Western Sahara and the West Bank.
أمحمد خداد : الأمم المتحدة لم تحقق أي تقدم فيما يتعلق بمسألة حقوق الإنسان بالصحراء الغربية المحتلة Radio Algerie covers the UN representative to the Western Sahara Ahmed Khadad’s criticism of UN inability to secure real change for human rights in the region.
Recent Jadaliyya Articles on the Maghreb
`All in World Bank`: Manipulation in the Name of Deregulation The Tunisian Observatory of Economy publishes a report critical of the World Bank`s report on Tunisia.
Remembering Fatema Mernissi Zakia Salime reflects on the life and legacy of the late Fatema Mernissi.
1 اللااستثناء المغربي: حزب وجيش وقصر An Arabic translation of Jadaliyya co-editor, Samia Errazzouki`s, overview of the history of state formation in Morocco. Read the second part here. (English version: Part 1 and Part 2)
Morocco: A Bipolarization under Royal Control Stéphanie Wenger delves into the aftermath of the local and regional elections in Morocco, highlighting the role of the palace as parties shift their alliances.
Women in the Men’s House: The Road to Equality in the Algerian Military A report from the Carnegie Middle East Center highlights the gendered dynamics in the Algerian military.
A Moveable Feast? Reflections on the French Coverage of the Paris Attacks Jadaliyya Maghreb Page Co-Editor Muriam Haleh Davis provides an overview of the reactions to the Paris attacks in the French media.
New Texts Out Now: Jeanette S. Jouili, Pious Practice and Secular Constraints: Women in the Islamic Revival in Europe Jadaliyya interviews Jeanette Jouili on the publication of her new book, Pious Practice and Secular Constraints: Women in the Islamic Revival in Europe.
Kabylia: Between Colonial Myths and Algerian Realities A translated excerpt from Yassine Temlali`s book, La genèse de la Kabylie. Aux origines de l’affirmation berbère en Algérie (1830-1962).